February 25, 2025
GOP budget divides, Trump votes with Putin clients on Ukraine, Stand Up For Science March 7th, and more!
Contact all members of Congress:
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: Congress.gov
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
If you have questions, comments, and especially submissions for actions, please email us at roganslisttips@gmail.com!
HOUSE AND SENATE GOP NOT ON THE SAME PAGE WITH BUDGET
Last week, Senate Republicans managed to push through a budget proposal that adds $150 billion in military spending and $175 billion for immigration enforcement. Unlike the House, the Senate wants to include tax cuts for the rich as a separate bill - but make no mistake, the Senate has promised to get around to tax cuts for the wealthy, and pay for it by slashing essential services like Medicaid. Both budgets would be a disaster. But the dissension between the Senate and House Republican caucuses is good news for Democrats – both will have to agree on a budget resolution to continue the reconciliation process, and right now they do not appear close, giving us plenty of opportunities to block them. Let’s contact our reps and ask them to use every means at their disposal to block both budgets. We can find scripts and talking points here, and send this Resistbot petition by texting SIGN POYJYS to 50409. We can also check out this article from Ballotpedia and this explainer from the Progressive Caucus Center on what budget reconciliation is, how it works and why it’s important. Lastly, if we’re available we can sign up to phonebank folks in key districts to get them to call their members of Congress about the budget with the Working Families Party here.
US JOINS PUTIN CLIENT STATES IN UN VOTE
It’s Vladimir Putin’s dream come true: the United States is openly covering for Russian aggression on the international stage. Yesterday at the United Nations, America voted against a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and calling for their withdrawal from Ukrainian territory – one of just 17 nations to join Moscow in doing so, along with client states and dictatorships like Belarus, Hungary and North Korea. This all comes as Trump continues to pressure Ukraine into a neocolonial seizure of profits from their natural resources, even threatening to have Elon Musk cut off their satellite internet access. We need to contact our members of Congress and make it very clear: the American people know who started the war, we still stand with Ukraine, and we need to continue helping them fight for their freedom. We can use these scripts and messaging as a jumping off point for our calls.
TPS AND THE RIGHT TO ASYLUM UNDER THREAT
Last June, President Biden extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians until February 2026 because of the ongoing prevalence of gang violence and political upheaval, which exacerbated poverty and food insecurity. And just before he left office, Biden extended TPS for several other vulnerable populations. Now, the new administration is revoking TPS for Haiti and Venezuela, and freezing benefits for those on humanitarian parole from many countries, including refugees from Ukraine, tearing apart families and leaving many who are fleeing unspeakable danger without any recourse. Let’s speak out against these cruel and unnecessary actions and demand that our MoCs prioritize advocating for TPS for vulnerable populations and assure that all people have the right guaranteed by U.S. and international law to apply for asylum. We can also consider a donation to the Haitian Bridge Alliance, if we’re able.
STAND UP FOR SCIENCE - MARCH ON MARCH 7TH
Trump and Musk are attacking U.S. research—the foundation of our global leadership in invention, innovation, and discovery. They're blocking research funding and cheating when courts order them to stop. Scientists have had enough. They're standing up to protest and asking us to join them. Let's find a Stand Up For Science march in our city we can join on FRIDAY, MARCH 7TH - full list here. Extra credit: If we know anyone who works in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, tell them that we need their voices too!
ASSAULT ON CONSTITUENT AT GOP TOWN HALL IN IDAHO
Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl, a constituent and activist attending a legislative town hall in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho was assaulted and physically dragged out of the event by plainclothes security personnel who refused to identify themselves after interrupting a speaker. The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, who organized the town hall, and county sheriff Bob Norris, who directed the security personnel to “get her,” claim to have no knowledge of who hired them, though police have confirmed they worked for a firm called LEAR Asset Management. Let’s show her some support (with info via @Mamasissiesays):
Call members of the County Board of Commissioners and ask them to investigate Sheriff Norris’ involvement in the assault
Encourage local police to investigate the incident for charges and whether LEAR Asset Management violated city ordinances
Reach out to LEAR Asset Management CEO Paul Trouette at 707-489-9663 or learassetmanegement@yahoo.com and tell him to apologize to Dr. Borrenpohl and publicly state who hired him
Contribute to this GoFundMe for Dr. Borrenpohl’s legal costs in challenging her detention and protecting citizens against future violations of their First Amendment Rights
BONUS READ: ADAM SERWER ON THE GREAT RESEGREGATION
Adam Serwer has long been one of the most clear-eyed commentators on what drives Trumpism, and his latest piece for The Atlantic is a must-read on how we must frame MAGA’s attacks on “DEI”: “Much of the chaos, lawlessness, and destruction of the past few weeks can be understood as part of the administration’s central ideological project: restoring America’s traditional hierarchies of race and gender. Call it the ‘Great Resegregation.’” We can read it in full with this gift link here.
KEEPING AN EYE ON…
Phonebank and postcard to hold our majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court… House budget vote expected as soon as today, 17 days until government funding deadline… economic blackout on Friday, economic action every day… 50501 protests March 4th… keep distributing Know Your Rights cards, training with United We Dream tomorrow…
We must do the counteroffensive with speed. Take to the streets. Begin an economic boycott. Stop buying. Stop buying everything.
https://bit.ly/4bhzA68
I appreciate your direction towards action but please include phone banking for the two house races in Florida and the one in New York. And if you don’t, please explain why not. Thank you, Elena Loomis